An increasingly common feature of new vehicles is remote keyless entry. The remote keyless entry system uses a relatively small transmitter housed in a portable key fob which communicates with a receiver installed in the vehicle for locking and unlocking power door, trunk, and/or liftgate locks. The key fob includes buttons or switches which correspond with controls in the transmitter to perform the intended function. Some key fobs include additional features, such as a panic switch for sounding an alarm installed in the vehicle.
Typically, a vehicle manufacture will use the same key fob for many different models of vehicle having remote keyless entry. Therefore, the key fobs for different models of vehicle can look identical even though the vehicle platforms a different. Confusion between which key fob operates which vehicle can occur when an individual or household has more than one vehicle from the same manufacturer.
Commonly, key fobs are made of a plastic housing which include an integral loop formed therein. The loop serves the purpose of retaining a separate key ring for retaining a plurality of keys. Often, this single loop is not sufficient to house the number of keys and items a consumer would like to have attached to their key fob.
This invention relates to a vehicular key fob for a vehicular remote keyless entry system. The key fob includes a main body which houses electronics for activating the remote keyless entry system. The key fob further includes first and second components, such as faceplates and/or rings having different identifying indicia. The first and second components are releasably secured to the main body, such that they can be interchanged to function as visual or tactile identifiers to avoid confusion between similar key fobs.
Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.